SF Art Orgs & Mayor Breed Ask Congress for Aid to the Arts

Mayors across the US, guided by 15 or so San Francisco arts organizations and Mayor London Breed’s office, wrote to Congress this week, asking the Fed to step up it’s support for the arts.

The SFS thanks Mayor @LondonBreed, the SF Arts Alliance, & this group of 22 additional mayors across the country for writing to Congress and championing the role of arts organizations in our communities by supporting relief fund efforts.

This week, an alliance of SF art non-profits and institutions helped SF Mayor London Breed to rally 22 other Mayors across America to write to congress, asking for further aid to the arts. In the letter they explained what is needed:

“The arts sector is an economic engine that directly employs more than 5 million workers. In March 2020, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the arts and culture workforce contributed $877.8 billion, or 4.5 percent, to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017.

The letter continues, “The current losses sustained by the arts and cultural sector throughout the nation have reached a staggering $4.8 billion in just the first two months of this crisis.”

The mayors asked for further unemployment insurance for artsts, more funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, and remove the $300 cap on charitable tax deductions for those donating to the arts, Here are the letter exact requests:

Extend the duration of unemployment insurance for artists, arts professionals, and selfemployed workers whose income has been negatively impacted by COVID-19.

● Adjust the Economic Stabilization Fund or other mechanisms to implement programs to
support nonprofit employers with between 500 and 10,000 employees, including loanforgiveness and other provisions. Provide clear guidance and maximum flexibility to
private lenders to prioritize processing the applications of charitable nonprofits, including
arts organizations

● Provide additional funding to the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowmentfor the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services.

● Support policies that will ensure rapid processing of the artist visas and consularappointments that are essential to supporting international cultural activity. Without this,many arts organizations will be unable to produce the seasons they had planned whenthey can return to their venues.

● Expand the opportunity for non-itemizers to be incentivized to give more by removing
the $300 cap on charitable deductions for non-itemizers and allowing all taxpayers to
claim the deduction on 2019, 2020, and future taxes. The significant unexpected loss of
revenue and declines in charitable contributions are immediately impacting arts and
cultural organizations.

The letter was addressed to Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer and Leader McCarthy, and singed by these mayors:

Alex Mak - Managing Editor

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